“Kino Skier” Sumire Morino is doing

Rooted in snow and crafts

Morino’s unique spin on Japanese tradition was not the only way: as part of her graduation thesis for art school, she created unique artworks on the surface of snowboards and ski equipment and decorated with Urushi paint. This traditional Japanese craft involves applying delicate sap in multiple layers to create a durable, shiny finish. It can usually be seen on bowls, boxes, and other household items.

Instead of furniture or ceramics, Morino chose the unconventional surfaces of high-performance snow sports gear made from materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber. Her designs are obviously modern and often whimsical—for example, protein whales, or skiers nestled in the snow blowing. A bold red wooden board carved with fried eggs and a frying pan. The “egg whites” are made of quail egg shells that are cleverly glued to a piece at a time, while the “egg yolks” are coated with a glittering finish of silver powder.

“My graduation program happens to be focused on winter sports because they are familiar with me,” Morino explained. Her relationship with snow began in childhood, and her time in Aomori County was shaped by her time in Aomori County, known for its long winters and deep snowflakes. She regularly visits her grandmother’s house, filled with traditional tsugaru-nuri lacquerware, which can be identified by its vivid layered patterns and rich, textured finishes – she introduces lacquerware and traditional art for the first time.

Before becoming a paint craftsman and snowboard, Morino grew up far from that. By the fourth grade, she began to struggle with her health, which made it nearly impossible to sporadically run out of school attendance in the morning. Her mental health also deteriorated after her parents divorced, and all these challenges eventually led to her withdrawal from traditional education altogether.

In an article on her personal blog, Morino noted: “No one sat alone in an empty auditorium in my yearbook when I graduated. But these isolated experiences did not shut her down, but expanded her world.

Traditionally conform to the terrain

In high school, Morino spent a lot of time camping, cycling and working part-time while attending non-traditional learning programs. One winter, she decided to hold a position at a ski resort in Nagano, a decision that would change her life trajectory forever.

Here she first tried snowboarding, where she discovered the subculture of snowboarders and enthusiasts, creating custom-made “ITA Snowboards” – the same works as “Ita Bags” or “Ita Cars” where everyday objects are decorated with anime artwork such as decals, bad things or stickers. Morino was fascinated. She invested almost all of her income in her first snowboards and boots.

The initial seasonal escape evolved into a passionate pursuit, ultimately the canvas of her artistic expression. In college, she began to learn Urushi techniques and instinctively brought them out of her daily life from the classroom. Instead of anime decals, she began to decorate the wood boards with mother-of-pearls, gold leaves and red and black paint layers.

“To me, traditional crafts are not ‘old’ – they are just cool,” she said. “I’m not bound by tradition and don’t think pop culture is something completely new. Both take up the same space in things I like, so it feels natural to combine them.”

She approached the skiing with the same mindset in a well-crafted fanatic: “I’ve been skiing all the time in role-playing…so it doesn’t feel like I’m particularly unusual like what I do. It started with an interesting idea: Isn’t this very interesting?“

Inefficient beauty

Morino is still learning Urushi paint technology at school, and later this year she will hold a solo exhibition in Tokyo. In her Instagram Bio, she simply describes herself as an “artist and craftsman.” Although she is deeply committed to traditional crafts, she has a clear view of why many people stay away from them: “I don’t think crafts belong to the daily life of most people.

She didn’t see herself as a catalyst, but a conservationist: “Instead of the decline of artisans, I think the real problem is the decline in demand – fewer buyers. Without demand, it’s hard to maintain the process. So, I hope to contribute by creating that demand.”

Objects made using techniques passed on by generations have inherent value that cannot be rushed or copied. Morino believes that this eternal quality will continue. “In the age of AI and industrial automation, crafts seem to be a bunch of inefficient,” she muses. “But especially for Urushi, this inefficiency makes it valuable. It is handmade and irreplaceable, which makes it the ultimate luxury.”

More information
Follow Sumire Morino on @morinosumire’s Instagram.
she The solo exhibition will be held at the Art Shopping Center in Nihonbashi, Tokyo from June 24 to 29, 2025.
Address: 13-10 Chome-13-10 Nihonbashimoromachi, Chuo City, Tokyo 103-0022

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